Combination fluid filter and valve assembly



J y 1 61 J. J. ZYLSTRA 3 332,259

COMBINATION FLUID FILTER AND VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 21, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. JaA/A/ Zn $7 34 BY ATTORNEYS y 1957 J. J. ZYLSTRA 3,332,259

COMBINATION FLUID FILTER AND VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 21, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ?Z 64 5 Zg 3:3 29

INVENTOR.

1w @Ma na/r ATTORNEYS y 1957 J. J. ZYLSTRA 3,332,259

COMBINATION FLUID FILTER AND VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 21, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Jay/v J Zyzsrlen ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,332,259 COMBINATION FLUID FILTER AND VALVE ASSEMBLY John J. Zylstra, Benton Harbor, Mich., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,916 16 Claims. (Cl. 6818) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination valve and filter assembly wherein a movable flexible wall member in a filter housing is movable between a first position wherein a filter maze is formed and a drain valve is closed to a second position wherein the filter maze is opened and the drain valve is also opened so that the filter may be cleaned.

Summary of the invention Briefly described, the filter and valve assembly of the present invention comprises a solid wall member and a flexible or expansible wall member movable into and out of engagement with the solid Wall member. Cooperating filter surfaces are formed on the abutting faces of the two wall members such that when the wall members are in engagement with one another a filter maze is formed within the filter and when the wall members are moved out of engagement with one another the filter maze is eliminated.

The filter and valve assembly is formed with three openings, one of which is utilized as an inlet to direct the circulating laundry liquid from the hydraulic circuit into the filter during both the washing and draining operations. The second opening serves as a first outlet and is connected for recirculating the laundry liquid back to the hydraulic circuit during a washing operation, and the third opening serves as a second outlet for connection to a drain for conveying the laundry liquid with the released foreign particles therein to waste during the machine draining operation.

A valve is associated with each of the two outlets and an operating mechanism is connected to the flexible wall member and to both the valves, whereby during a washing operation the flexible wall member is urged into engagement with the solid wall member to form the filter maze While the first outlet is opened and the second outlet closed. During a draining operation the flexible wall member is urged out of engagement with the solid wall member while simultaneously the first outlet is closed and the second outlet is opened.

Each of the valves comprises a Valve seat formed on the solid wall member about one of the outlets and a valve member formed integrally with the flexible wall member and connected to the major portion of the flexible wall member by means of a thin reverse-folding sleeve which enables the valve member to be moved relative to the valve seat independently of both the major portion of the flexible wall member and of the other valve member.

The operating mechanism comprises a toggle arrangement which is extended and retracted to operate the flexible wall member and valve assemblies during successive washing and draining operations. A resilient lost motion arrangement is provided between each of the valve members and the toggle arrangement to ensure proper seating of the valve members on their valve seats while avoiding any possible damage to the valve members or seats as a result of a build up of foreign particles or 3,332,259 Patented July 25, 1967 other impurities on the valve members or seats or as a result of overtravel of the toggle mechanism.

The power source for the toggle-type operating mechanism needs only reciprocal rectilinear movement. It may be connected into the usual control circuitry of the machine to change the operating positions of the filter as the machine changes between washing and draining operations.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a Washing or cleaning machine operable sequentially through washing and draining operations and having a filter adapted to remove and entrap foreign particles and other impurities from the laundry liquid during a Washing operation and to release the foreign particles back into the laundry liquid during a draining operation while receiving the laundry liquid through a single inlet during both operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine having a hydraulic circuit including a treatment zone for circulating laundry liquid in one direction from the treatment zone, through the circuit and back to the treatment Zone during a washing operation, and from the treatment zone through the circuit and to a drain during a draining operation, wherein a self-cleaning filter is connected to the hydraulic circuit for receiving and filtering foreign particles from the unidirectional flow of laundry liquid and directing the filtered laundry liquid back to the circuit during the washing operation, and for releasing the foreign particles back into the laundry liquid and diverting the laundry liquid to the drain during the draining operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a selfcleaning filter and valve assembly having an inlet for receiving a unidirectional flow of laundry liquid, a wall member movable between a first position whereby a filter maze is formed within the filter to remove foreign particles from the laundry liquid and entrap them within the filter, and a second position whereby the filter maze is eliminated and the entrapped particles are released back int-o the laundry liquid, a pair of outlets for directing the laundry liquid from the filter and a diverter valve arrangement for opening and closing the outlets as a function of the position of the movable wall member.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide valve members for opening and closing the outlets which valve members being formed integrally with and movable independently of the movable wall member.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a filter having a diverter valve arrangement operated by a toggle mechanism including means for providing lost motion in the operation of the valve'members in order to avoid damage to the valve members as a result of a build up of foreign particles on the valve seats or overtravel of the toggle mechanism.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example only.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plumbing diagram of the hydraulic circuitry of an automatic washing machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the self-cleaning filter of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is illustrative of a portion of a flexible wall member of the filter and shows the inner side of the wall member;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view of the filter taken substantially along lines V-V of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of a solid wall member of the filter showing the inner side thereof.

As shown in the drawings: Although the principles of the present invention are of general utility, a particularly useful application is made to automatic washing machines operable sequentially through successive washing and draining operations and an illustrative embodiment herein shown consists of an agitator type washing machine shown generally at 10 having a treatment zone 11 for receiving a supply of laundry liquid and a load of articles to be washed or cleaned and comprising an imperforate tub 12 and a perforate wash basket positioned therein as at 13. An agitator of the vertical-axis type is shown at 14, but the principles of the present invention are applicable to washing machines incorporating other types of washing mechanisms, such as horizontal-type agitators or rotating drum baskets, and also find utility in filtering liquids in other apparatus incorporating a circulating hydraulic circuit.

Below a bottom wall 16 of the tub 12 is a laundry liquid circulating pump 17. Suitable means such as an electric motor shown at M are provided for driving the agitator 14 and the pump 17. The operation of the machine is controlled by a conventional automatic sequential control means 15, illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 1.

The pump 17 is of the conventional unidirectional flow type, that is, it is adapted to pump fluid only in a single direction, and connected to the suction side of the pump 17 is a conduit 18 for conveying laundry liquid from the treatment zone 11 to the pump 17 through a trap 19,, which trap opens to the interior of the tub 12 through the bottom wall 16.

One end of another conduit 20 is connected to the discharge side of the pump 17 and the other end thereof is connected to a self-cleaning filter 21 for removing lint and other foreign particles from the laundry liquid which are not removed at the trap 19. Another conduit 22 conveys the laundry liquid from the filter 21 back to the treatment zone 11 through an outlet 23.

During a washing operation, after the treatment zone 11 has been supplied with a suitable quantity of laundry liquid and a batch of articles which are to be washed, the control apparatus of the washing machine 10 operates to energize the pump 17 and the laundry liquid is thereupon circulated in one direction from the treatment zone through the trap 19, the pump 17 and the filter 21 and back to the treatment zone 11. This flow path is illustrated by the solid arrows in FIGURE 1.

After the washing operation the machine automatically begins a draining operation whereby the soiled laundry liquid is removed from the machine and usually directed to a waste pipe or drain. During the draining operation the laundry liquid is circulated in the same direction from the treatment zone 11 through the trap 19 and the pump 17 to the filter 21. However, instead of continuing on from the filter to the treatment zone 11 through conduit 22, the laundry liquid is diverted within the filter 21 by means of a diverter valve arrangement indicated generally at 24 to a conduit 26 which is connected to a waste pipe or drain. This flow path is indicated by the dashed arrows in FIGURE 1. The diverter valve 24 is herein actuated by a solenoid 25 under the control of sequential controller 15.

Thus the laundry liquid is circulated in the same direction from the treatment zone 11 to the filter 21 during both the washing and draining operations. As noted, this requires only a unidirectional flow pump, and the overall hydraulic circuitry is appreciably simplified.

According to the principles of the invention the filter 21 removes foreign particles from the laundry liquid and entraps such particles within the filter during a washing operation when the laundry liquid circulates from the treatment zone through the filter and back to the treatment zone, but during a draining operation when the laundry liquid circulates from the treatment zone through the filter 21 to the drain the laundry liquid cleans and flushes the interior of the filter and the foreign particles previously entrapped in the filter are released back into the laundry liquid to be directed to the drain.

The general configuration of the filter 21 is shallow and annularly shaped and comprises a lower member or lower end wall 27 and an upper member or upper end wall 28. The lower wall member 27 is constructed of rigid material such as plastic or the like and the upper wall member 28 constitutes a diaphragm which is made of flexible, elastic material, such as rubber or the like.

Both wall members 27 and 28 are circularly shaped in plan view and are attached or joined together at peripheral portions thereof as at 29. The rigid or solid wall member 27 is formed with an inlet 30 adapted for connection to the conduit 20 (FIGURE 1) to receive the laundry liquid, a first outlet 31 spaced from the inlet 30 and adapted for connection to conduit 22 to direct the laundry liquid from the filter 21 to the treatment zone 11 during a washing operation, and a second outlet 32 between the inlet 30 and the first outlet 31 adapted for connection to the conduit 26 for directing the laundry liquid to a drain during the draining operation.

The wall members 27 and 28 have adjacent filtering surfaces 33 and 34 formed thereon which, during a washing operation, are brought into abutting engagement with one another to form a tortuous filter path between the inlet 30 and the outlet 31. During a draining operation the diaphragm 28 is moved or flexed away from the rigid wall member 27, thereby disengaging the filtering surfaces, abolishing the filter path and releasing the foreign particles entrapped in the filter path back to the laundry liquid to pass to the drain.

In order to form the filter surface 33 the rigid wall member 27 comprises a flat inner face 36 having formed thereon projecting upwardly therefrom a plurality of arcuately shaped radially spaced liquid deflectors or rib members 37. Each of the rib members 37 comprises a pair of radially spaced complementarily shaped side walls 38 and 39 so that each of the rib members and the side walls of adjacent rib members form arcuately shaped channels as at 40.

A series of baffles are also formed on the inner face 36 and are arranged so as to interconnect adjacent side walls 38 and 39 of the rib members 37 at alternate ends of adjacent channels 40. For example, bafiie members 41-44 interconnect a pair of adjacent side walls 38 and 39 at one end thereof and are so arranged such that alternately spaced channels are in open communication with the inlet 38, and thus the battles 41-44 serve as entrance walls.

Another series of battle members 46-49 also interconnect pairs of adjacent side walls 38 and 39 but these baffle members do not interconnect any pair of side walls that are interconnected by the bafiles 4144. The baffle members 46-49 serve as exit walls and prevent direct flow to the outlets 31 and 32 from any of the channels 40 which are in open communication with the inlet 30. As a result of the entrance and exit walls, the laundry liquid which enters the inlet 30 can only enter alternate channels through the open ends thereof, and cannot leave these alternate channels through the opposite ends thereof.

The filter surfaces 33 of the rigid end wall 27 comprise the top surfaces of the side walls 38 and 39. The filter surface 34 of the flexible wall member 28 has formed therein a series of serrations or grooves 50 which are grouped essentially into four quadrants. All of the grooves 50 in each of the four quadrants are arranged in spaced parallel relation and each of the grooves extends from one of four radii of the inner surface 34 which are spaced angularly by and extends to a circularly shaped perimeter 51 of the inner surface 34.

During a washing operation when the flexible wall member 28 is in engagement with the rigid wall member 27 as depicted in FIGURES 3 and 5, the laundry liquid circulated into the filter through inlet 30 passes into the alternate channels 40 with which it is in open communication. Since these channels are not in open communication with the outlets 31 and 32, however, the the laundry liquid must pass through the small apertures formed by the grooves 50 and the top surfaces 33 of the rib members 37 and into adjacent channels 40 which are in open communication with the outlets 31 and 32. Foreign particles in the laundry liquid which will not flow through the small apertures are entrapped within the filter 21.

During a draining operation the flexible wall member 28 is moved away from the rigid wall member 27 thereby abolishing the apertures formed by the grooves 50 and the top surfaces 33 of the rib members 37 and releasing the previously entrapped foreign particles back into the laundry liquid to be conveyed through the outlet 32 to the drain.

The rigid wall member 27 and the flexible wall member as diaphragm 28 are adapted to facilitate quick, snap-fit assembly, and for this purpose the wall member 27 comprises an upstanding circumferentially continuous peripheral wall 52 having an arcuately shaped upper surface 53 and a recessed portion 54 forming an outturned shoulder as at 56.

The wall member 28 comprises a peripheral flange portion 57 having an upwardly angularly arcuately shaped transition portion as at 58 which extends upwardly to and overlies the upper surfaces 53 of the rigid wall member 27. An inner face 59 of the flange portion 57 is shaped complementarily to the peripheral wall 52 and comprises an annularly shaped boss 60 having an inturned shoulder 61 in abutting engagement with the shoulder 56 of the peripheral wall 52.

To mount the diaphragm 28 on the wall member 28, the flange portion 57 is urged outwardly over and around the peripheral wall 52 and inwardly until the boss 61 is positioned adjacent the recessed portion 54, thereby snapping the shoulder 61 into abutting engagement with the shoulder portion 56. A metal band 55 is tightened around the outer periphery of flange portion 57 by screw means (not shown) to ensure an adequate seal between the diaphragm 28 and wall member 27.

In order to urge the filtering surface 34 of the diaphragm 28 into engagement with the top surfaces 33 of the rib members 37 during a washing operation a back up plate 62 is mounted across a back side 63 of the diaphragm 28. The plate 62 covers the major portion back side 63 except for an area above the outlet 31, but a raised portion 64 is formed above the' outlet 32 and has fixedly secured thereto a yoke member 65 having a pair of legs 66 and 67 extending upwardly from the raised portion 64. A pin interconnects the leg member 66 and 67 for pivotally receiving one end of a toggle arm 69, the other end of which is pivotally connected to an inverted V-portion 70 of a bracket 71 having inturned portions 72 and 73 extending under a marginal bottom surface 74 of the wall member 27, and having a back plate 75 for fastening the bracket to the washing machine 10. A pivotal connection at the opposite end of the toggle arm 69 is provided by a pin 76 fixedly connected to the invefted V- shaped portion 70 at the apex thereof. Situated between the ends of the toggle arm 69 is a hinge connection 77 formed by a pin 78 extending through a pair of plates 79 and 80 forming a top portion of the toggle arm 69, and through another plate 81 which, in conjunction with plate' 82, forms the bottom part of the toggle arm 69.

One end of a toggle actuating arm 83 is connected to the pin 77 and the other end is connected to suitable power means such as solenoid 25, for providing reciprocal movement to the arm 83. The solenoid is of the type having a spring biased armature wherein the spring provides the power for moving arm 83 to the right as viewed in FIGURE 3 and actuation of the solenoid provides the power to move arm 83 to the left as viewed in FIGURE 3. The spring and solenoid are diagrammatically illustrated at 25a and 25 respectively in FIGURE 3.

Thus, during a washing operation the toggle actuating arm 83 is moved rightwardly as viewed in FIGURE 3 to straighten or extend the toggle arm 69 to the position thereof shown in FIGURE 3. A stop 84 is formed on the toggle arm 69 to prevent overtravel beyond the position as shown in FIGURE 3.

As the toggle arm 69 is extended the back up plate 62 is urged downwardly to bring the filter surfaces 34 of the flexible wall member 28 into abutting engagement with the filter surfaces 33 of the rigid Wall member 27.

It is necessary for the outlet 32 to be closed during a washing operation since the laundry liquid is circulated from the filter 21 back to the treatment zone 11 of the machine 10. In order to close the outlet 32 a valve seat 86 is formed on the inner surface 36 of the wall member 27 around the outlet 32. A valve member 87 is formed on and integrally with the diaphragm 28 for cooperating with the valve seat 86 in closing the outlet 32.

Although the valve member 87 may be made of the same material from which the main portion of the diaphragm 28 is made, it is essential that the valve member 87 be able to move independently thereof, and in order to allow such independent movement the valve member 87 is connected to the main portion of the diaphragm 28 by means of a thin, reverse-folding tubular flexible sleeve 88.

For operation of the valve member 87 a disc 89 is embedded therein and extending upwardly from the disc 89 isa pin 90 having a shank portion extending upwardly through an aperture 91 formed in the raised portion 64 of the back up plate 62, and terminating at an enlarged head 92 above the raised portion 64. The outer diameter of the pin head 92 is greater than that of the aperture 91 to prevent withdrawal of the head through the aperture.

A coil spring is Wound about the shank between the valve member 87 and the raised portion 64 of the back up plate 62. As the toggle arm 69 is extended to the position thereof shown in FIGURE 3 and the plate 62 is moved downwardly the raised portion 64, which is between the head 92 of the pin 90 and the spring 85, urges the spring 85 downwardly to bias the valve member 87 against the valve seat 86, thereby closing outlet 32.

During a draining operation the actuating arm 83 is moved leftwardly as viewed in FIGURE 3, thereby breaking the toggle arm 69 at its hinged connection 77. The back up plate 62 is moved upwardly, and after a given increment of travel, the raised portion 64 of the plate 62 engages the head 92 of the pin 99, raising the valve member 87 from the valve seat 82 and opening the outlet 32.

The back up plate 62 may be fixedly bonded to the diaphragm 28 in order to raise the diaphragm during a draining operation, but if the inlet 30 is connected to the discharge side circulating pump as shown in FIGURE 1 the pressure of the laundry liquid itself is sufiicient to flex or bellow the diaphragm 28 out of engagement with the wall member 27 as soon as the back up plate 62 has been moved upwardly, without the need for any positive interconnection between the plate 62 and the diaphragm 28.

It is necessary to close the outlet 31 during a draining operation in order to prevent laundry liquid from recirculating fromthe filter 21 back to the treatment zone 11. For this purpose another valve member 93 is formed on the diaphragm 28 to engage a valve seat 94 formed on the inner surface 36 of the wall member 27 around the outlet 31. Valve member 93 is also connected to the major body portion of the diaphragm 28 by means of a thin, reverse-folding flexible sleeve 96 to permit independent movement of the valve member, and embedded within the valve member 93 is a disc 97 to which is fixedly secured a yoke member 98.

In order to move the valve member 93 a pin 99 is connected in fixed assembly to the yoke 98 and is received in a slot 100 formed in one end 101 of an arm 102, an opposite end 103 of which is pivotally mounted on the pin 68 carried on the yoke member 65.

The arm 102 is also pivotally connected at an intermediate portion thereof about a pin 104 stationarily mounted on a horizontal plate 106 of the bracket 71.

Situated between the top of the valve member 95 and a bottom surface 107 of the arm 102 is a coil spring 108. As the toggle actuator arm 83 is moved leftwardly as viewed in FIGURE 3 at the beginning of a draining operation, the upward movement of the yoke member 65 pivots the arm 102 about the pin 104 to move the valve member 93 into seating engagement with the valve seat 94 to close the outlet 31 as the valve member 87 is simultaneously moved olf of the valve seat 86 to open the outlet 32. Rightward movement of the arm 83 has the effect of opening outlet 31 simultaneously with the closing of outlet 32.

It will be noted that it is the coil spring 108 which actually biases the valve member 93 to a closed position. Thus both valve members 87 and 93 are moved into engagement with their respective valve seats by means of a coil spring rather than through a direct connection with the toggle mechanism. As a result any build up of foreign particles on the valve seats or overtravel of the toggle mechanism will not result in damage to the valve members or the valve seats.

It will be appreciated that the power unit for driving the toggle actuating arm 83 need only provide reciprocal rectilinear movement. The power unit is interconnected with the sequential control mechanism of the washing machine to control the operation of the filter and valve assembly in conjunction with changes in the operation of the machine.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a cleaning apparatus,

means forming a hydraulic circuit including a treatment zone and a pump for circulating laundry liquid in one direction from the treatment zone through the circuit and back to the treatment zone,

a filter having an inlet for receiving laundry liquid from the circuit, a first outlet for directing the liquid back to the circuit and a second outlet for directing the liquid to a drain,

a wall on said filter movable to a first position to remove foreign particles from the liquid and to entrap them in the filter, and movable to a second position to release the entrapped particles back into the liquid,

valve means on said filter movable to a first position to open said first outlet and to close said second outlet and movable to a second position to open said second outlet and to close said first outlet, and

means for moving said wall and said valve means between their respective first and second positions.

2. In a cleaning apparatus,

means forming a hydraulic circuit including a treatment zone and a pump for circulating laundry liquid in one direction from the treatment zone through the circuit and back to the treatment zone,

a filter having an inlet for receiving laundry liquid from the circuit, a first outlet for directing the liquid back to the circuit and a second outlet for directing the liquid to a drain,

a wall on said filter movable between a first position wherein foreign particles are removed from the laundry liquid and entrapped in the filter and a second position wherein the entrapped particles are released back into the laundry liquid,

at diverter valve on said filter movable between a first position for opening said first outlet and for closing said second outlet, and a second position for opening said second outlet and for closing said first outlet, and

means connected to said movable wall and to said diverter valve for simultaneously moving said wall and said valve between their respective first and second positions.

3. A washing machine comprising,

means forming a treatment zone,

means comprising a hydraulic circuit including conduit means and a pump for circulating laundry liquid from the treatment zone through the conduit means and back to the treatment zone, and

a filter mounted in said conduit means and comprising,

an inlet port, a first outlet port and a second outlet port,

said inlet port being in communication with said conduit means for receiving laundry liquid from said conduit means and said first outlet port being in communication with said conduit means for directing laundry liquid from said filter back to said conduit means,

said second outlet port being in communication with a drain for discharging laundry liquid from the filter to the drain,

means forming a pair of valve seats at said outlet ports,

a pair of valve members movable into and out of engagement with said valve seats to close and to open their corresponding ports,

a wall member movable between a first position for removing foreign particles in the laundry liquid and entrapping such foreign particles in the filter and a second position for releasing the engapped particles back into the laundry liquid, an

means for alternately moving said wall member to said first position thereof while moving said valve members to open said first outlet and to close said second outlet and for moving said wall member to said second position thereof while moving said valve members to open said second outlet and to close said first outlet,

whereby the foreign particles are first removed from the laundry liquid and then the laundry liquid and the foreign particles are discharged to a drain.

4. A washing machine comprising,

a tub for receiving a supply of laundry liquid and a load of soiled articles,

a unidirectional liquid pump for circulating laundry liquid,

a filter having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, and

a hydraulic circuit including a first conduit communicating said tub and the suction side of said pump, a second conduit communicating the discharge side of the pump with said filter inlet,

a third conduit communicating said first filter outlet with said tub and a fourth conduit communicating said second filter outlet with a drain,

said filter comprising a flexible wall member movable between a first position to form a filter maze for removing foreign particles from laundry liquid circulated therethrough and for entrapping such particles within the filter and a second position to abolish the filter maze 9 for releasing the entrapped particles back into the laundry liquid, a pair of movable valve members for opening and closing said filter outlets, and actuating means interconnecting said flexible wall member and said valve members to alternately move said wall member to said first position thereof and to open said first filter outlet and to close said second filter outlet, and then to move said wall member to said second position thereof and to open said second filter outlet and to close said first filter outlet. 5. In a washing machine having a treatment zone and a hydraulic circuit including a pump for circulating laundry liquid from the treatment zone through the circuit and back to the treatment zone, the improvement of means for filtering the laundry liquid comprising,

a filter housing having a rigid wall and a flexible wall, said flexible wall being movable into engagement with said rigid wall to form a filter maze within said housing for removing foreign particles from laundry liquid circulated through the housing and to entrap such foreign particles within said housing and movable away from said rigid wall to eliminate said filter maze and to release the entrapped particles back into the laundry liquid, means forming an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet in said housing in communication with one another interiorly of said housing only through said filter maze when said movable wall is in engagement with said stationary wall,

said inlet being adapted for connection to the hydraulic circuit to receive laundry liquid from the treatment zone, said first outlet being adapted for connection to the hydraulic circuit to direct laundry liquid back to the treatment zone and said second outlet being adapted for connection to a drain to discharge the laundry liquid from the machine, cooperating valve and valve seat means formed on said rigid wall and on said flexible wall and movable into and out of engagement with one another to independently close and open said outlets, and means on said housing connected to said flexible wall and to said cooperating valve means for alternately biasing said flexible wall against said rigid wall while opening said first outlet and closing said second outlet, and then for relieving the bias on said flexible wall while opening said second outlet and closing said first outlet. 6. A filter assembly comprising, a pair of wall members each having filter surfaces engageable with one another, first means for engaging said filter surfaces to form a filter maze between said wall members and for disengaging said filter surfaces to abolish said filter maze, an inlet and a pair of outlets formed in said filter assembly in spaced relation with one another,

said outlets communicating with said inlet interiorly of said filter only through said filter maze when said filter surfaces are in engagement with one another, valve means associated with each of said outlets for independently opening and closing said outlets, and second means interconnecting said first means and said valve means to open one of said outlets and close the other outlet when said filter surfaces are engaged and to close said one outlet and open the other outlet when said filter surfaces are disengaged. 7. For use in a washing machine operable through a washing and a draining operation and having a hydraulic circuit including a treatment zone and a pump for cira laundry liquid filter comprising a pair of wall members facing each other and having filter surfaces formed on interfacing surfaces' thereof,

flexible material interconnecting the wall members at peripheral portions thereof,

means for moving the wall members toward each other for abutting engagement of the filter surfaces to form a filter maze between the wall members during a washing operation, and for moving the wall members away from each other during a draining operation to abolish the filter maze,

means forming an inlet on-said filter for conveying laundry liquid from said circuit into said filter,

means forming a first outlet on said filter spaced from said inlet and in communication with said inlet only through said filter maze when the filter surfaces are in abutting engagement for conveying laundry liquid from the filter back to said circuit,

means forming a second outlet on said filter spaced from said inlet for conveying laundry liquid from the filter to a drain, and

a pair of flow valve assemblies associated with said outlets for opening said first outlet and closing said second outlet during a washing operation and for closing said first outlet and opening said second outlet during a draining operation.

8. A laundry liquid filter comprising,

a solid wall member having an inlet and first and second outlets formed therein and spaced from one another,

a flexible wall member facing said solid wall member and connected thereto at peripheral portions thereof,

said flexible Wall member being movable into enengagement with said solid wall member to form a filter maze therebetween and out of engagement with said solid wall member to eliminate said filter maze,

said first outlet being in communication with said inlet only through said filter maze when said filter maze is formed,

first and second valve seats formed on said solid wall member about said first and second outlets, respectively, first and second valve members formed on said flexible wall member and movable independently thereof into and out of engagement with their corresponding valve seats to close and open said outlets, and

means for simultaneously moving said flexible wall member into engagement with said solid wall member to form said filter maze while moving said first valve member out of engagement with said first valve seat to open said first outlet and said second valve member into engagement with said second valve seat to close said second outlet and then for simultaneously moving said flexible wall member out of engagement with said solid Wall member to eliminate said filter maze while moving said first valve member into engagement with said first valve seat to close said first outlet and moving said second valve member out of engagement with said second valve seat to open said second outlet.

1 9. A laundry filter comprising,

a solid wall member having an inlet and first and second outlets formed therein and spaced from one another,

a flexible wall member facing said solid Wall member and connected thereto at peripheral portions thereof,

a back up plate overlying said flexible wall member,

a bracket mounted on said solid wall,

a toggle mechanism interconnecting said bracket and said back up plate for moving said flexible wall member into and out of engagement with said solid wall member,

said wall members having filter surfaces formed thereon to form a filter maze when said wall members are in engagement with one another and to eliminate said filter maze when said wall members are out of engagement with one another,

said first outlet being in communication with said inlet only through said filter maze when said wall members are in engagement with one another,

a pair of valve seats formed on said solid wall member about said outlets,

a pair of cooperating valve members formed on said flexible wall member and independently movable into and out of valving engagement with their corresponding valve seats to independently close and open said outlets, and

means operatively interconnecting said toggle mechanism and said valve members to open said first outlet and to close said second outlet when said flexible wall member is moved into engagement with said solid wall member, and to close said first outlet and to open said second outlet when said flexible wall member is moved out of engagement with said solid wall member.

10. A laundry liquid filter comprising,

a generally flat annularly shaped first wall member having an inlet and first and second outlets formed therein and spaced from one another,

filter surfaces formed on said first wall member,

a second wall member attached to said first wall member at peripheral portions thereof and having filter surfaces formed thereon facing the filter surfaces formed on said first wall member,

said second wall member being flexible for movement of the filter surfaces formed thereon into and out of engagement with the filter surfaces formed on said first wall member to alternately form and to abolish a filter maze within said filter,

first and second valve seats formed on said first wall member about said first and second outlets,

first and second movable valve members formed integrally with said second wall member and cooperable with said valve seats to open and close said outlets,

a pair of thin reverse-folding sleeve portions integrally interconnecting said valve members and said second wall members for accommodating independent movement of said valve members,

first and second rigid discs embedded in said first and second valve members, respectively,

a first yoke member connected to said first disc and extending away from said second wall member,

a first pivot pin having a shank portion connected at one end thereof to said second disc and extending away from said second wall member and having an enlarged head formed thereon at the other end of said shank portion,

a back up plate on the outer side of said second wall member for biasing said second wall member into engagement with said solid wall member and having a raised portion overlying said second valve member and apertured to receive said shank portion of said pin,

a first coil spring between said second valve member and said raised portion of said back up plate,

a second yoke member fixedly connected to said raised portion,

a bracket mounted on said filter and extending in spaced relation to said second wall member,

an elongated toggle arm pivotally connected at opposite ends thereof to said bracket and to said second yoke member,

a hinged connection formed on said toggle arm between the ends thereof.

an elongated valve arm pivotally connected at opposite ends thereof to said first and said second yoke members and pivotally connected at a mid-portion thereof to said bracket,

a second pivot pin mounted on said first yoke member and an oversized slot formed in said valve arm to receive said second pivot pin for providing lost motion between said valve arm and said first yoke member, and

a second coil spring between said first valve member and said valve arm,

said hinged connection of said toggle arm being adapted to receive an actuating power member for alternately extending said toggle arm about said hinged connection whereby said back up plate is moved to bias said second wall member into engagement with said first wall member to form the filter maze while said raised portion of said back up plate simultaneously acts on said first coil spring to seat said second valve member on said second valve seat to close said second outlet and said valve arm is pivoted in one direction to unseat said first valve member from said first valve seat to open said first outlet, and

then for retracting said toggle arm about said hinged connection whereby said back up plate is moved away from said second wall member while said raised portion of said back up plate simultaneously acts on the head of said first .pivot pin to unseat said second valve member from said second valve seat and to open said second outlet and said valve arm is pivoted in an opposite direction to seat said first valve member on said first valve seat and to close said first outlet,

said coil springs serving to provide a resilient biasing force in seating said valve members.

11. A filter assembly comprising,

a first member provided with a first filter surface,

a flexible diaphragm having peripheral portions attached to said first member and provided with a second filter surface openly facing and movable into and out of engagement with said first filter surface,

bias means for biasing said diaphragm against said first filter surface to provide a filter by the cooperation of said engageable filter surfaces,

a fluid inlet in said first member communicating with the space defined between said filter surfaces,

a first outlet in said first member spaced from said inlet for discharging fluid passing through said inlet and between said filter surfaces in a filtering operation,

a second outlet positioned in said first member and spaced from said inlet,

valve means for alternately closing said second outlet and opening said first outlet and for opening said second outlet and closing said first outlet,

and means interconnected between said bias means and said valve means for relieving the bias on said diaphragm upon the opening of said second outlet to provide a flushing of the space between said filter surfaces with fluid entering said fluid inlet.

12. A combination fluid filter and valve assembly comprising:

a housing having an inlet and first and second outlets, filter means in said housing including at least one mem- 13 ber movable between filtering and flushing positions, and

valve means on said movable member for closing said first outlet when said movable member is in said filtering position and for closing said second outlet when said movable member is in said flushing position.

13. A combination filter and valve assembly comprisa housing comprising,

a rigid wall member provided with a first filter surface and a flexible wall member provided with a second filter surface, said members movable between a first abutting position wherein said filter surfaces form a filter maze and a second spaced position wherein said filter surfaces are separated for cleansaid housing having means forming an inlet and an outlet separated from one another by said maze at said first position thereby to filter liquid directed therebetween,

and means forming a second outlet, open at said second position to clean the filter, said flexible wall member having means for alternatively closing said first and second outlets at corresponding first and second positions, respectively.

14 14. A combination filter and valve assembly as defined in claim 13 and further characterized by said inlet and said outlets being formed in said rigid wall member. 5 15. A combination filter and valve assembly as defined in claim 14 and further characterized by said flexible wall member having integral valve portions formed in aligned register with said outlets, and actuating means for moving said valve portions as a function of said flexible wall member. 16. A combination filter and valve assembly as defined in claim 15 and further characterized by said integral valve portions comprising a thin reverse folding flexible sleeve and a disc shaped valve head, said outlets each having a valve seat formed against which each said valve head is selectively engaged.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,555,725 6/1951 Archbold 68208 X 2,621,505 12/1952 Smith 6818 X 3,179,116 4/1965 Jacobs 210356 X 25 WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CLEANING APPARATUS, MEANS FORMING A HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT INCLUDING A TREATMENT ZONE AND A PUMP FOR CIRCULATING LAUNDRY LIQUID IN ONE DIRECTION FROM THE TREATMENT ZONE THROUGH THE CIRCUIT AND BACK TO THE TREATMENT ZONE, A FILTER HAVING AN INLET FOR RECEIVING LAUNDRY LIQUID FROM THE CIRCUIT, A FIRST OUTLET FOR DIRECTING THE LIQUID BACK TO THE CIRCUIT AND A SECOND OUTLET FOR DIRECTING THE LIQUID TO A DRAIN, A WALL ON SAID FILTER MOVABLE TO A FIRST POSITION TO REMOVE FOREIGN PARTICLES FROM THE LIQUID AND TO ENTRAP THEM IN THE FILTER, AND MOVABLE TO A SECOND POSITION TO RELEASE THE ENTRAPPED PARTICLES BACK INTO THE LIQUID, 